Q:What are some challenges that the Satellite Communications industry will face this year and how are you meeting those challenges?

A: The satellite communications industry is seeing increasing demand for television distribution services around the world, in particular Asia-Pacific. The region is home to a number of strong and emerging economies, and the people of these nations want diverse, high-quality programming from around the world, as well as locally created content. The challenge for satellite operators is making sure we have the right capacity in the right locations to meet the demand.

That is one of the reason Intelsat EpicNG is such an important development for the region. A high-throughput satellite platform unveiled in 2012, it will enable customers to expand their offerings, relying on the combination of Intelsat’s existing wide-beam Ku-band broadband network with the overlay of Intelsat EpicNG high throughput spot beams. Intelsat EpicNG will meet the high-performance needs service providers who are seeing massive increases in bandwidth demand and will adapt to broadcasters’ future requirements.

Q: How are you working with governments/ regulatory bodies to manage spectrum?

A: Intelsat has supported global and regional initiatives aiming to raise awareness to the threat the satellite sector’s access to C-band spectrum faces from competing technologies. C-band services are a critical component for communications in Asia Pacific, a region where high rainfall means there is a heavy reliance on C-band and its ability to resist rain attenuation. We believe that this is an important matter for the region, and Intelsat will take part in the debate on this issue that will take place during the World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 (WRC-15).

Q: What can you say about the current state of broadcasters’ HD transition/ digitisation plans?

A: Many countries in Asia have committed to the rollout of DTT (Digital Terrestrial Television) over the next several years. We believe that this will hasten the adoption of HD channels and provide higher video quality for consumers. Intelsat’s satellites and video services support this effort and enable new and innovative platforms to efficiently reach a growing number of consumers in regions around the world. As an example, the recently launched digital HITS (Headend-In-The-Sky) platform for NSTPL in India – carried on Intelsat 902 – is an important step for India’s national goal of completing the transition to digital broadcast television signals by 2014.

Q: Which territories in Asia are growing their DTH services and requiring more satellite communications/broadcast services?

A: We have noticed the emergence of DTH platforms in the Pacific Ocean region. Indonesia is a growing market due to low penetration of Pay TV and its topography is very much suited for satellite, while South Asia still offers many opportunities. Our three-satellite solution (IS-19, IS-20, IS-21) is ideal for broadcasters in the region and provides worldwide coverage on premier video neighbourhoods.

We have also noticed a new trend in the region – more Asian channels are now going global, reaching out to viewers outside of their traditional markets. Today, Intelsat is working closely with broadcasters to bring top Asian channels (NHK, CCTV, Australian Network, KBS etc.) out of Asia to the world. With a fleet of over 50 satellites, its IntelsatOne terrestrial network and Intelsat’s MCPC platform in Singapore, Intelsat supports this development and provides cost-efficient distribution of programming and other video formats on a regional or global basis.

Q: Which countries in Asia are territories of focus for your business this year and why?

A: Intelsat has a large presence in Asia with five offices (Beijing, Singapore, Tokyo, Sydney, Delhi). This footprint is larger than other global and regional satellite operators and enables us to provide customers with robust yet flexible satellite solutions, fully adapted to the local and regional needs and requirements. Our satellite fleet enables us to serve every country in the region, providing coverage for even the most remote areas. Our recent $1.3 billion fleet investment programme is just the confirmation of our commitment to the Asia Pacific region. Furthermore, it is interesting to note that Intelsat carries more C-band radio and TV channels on its fleet in the Asia-Pacific arc (60°E to 180°E) than any other satellite operator. The scale of our lead is that we are more than 200 C-band channels ahead of our next competitor.

Q: How do you keep up with the competition and maintain your foothold in a crowded market?

A: Firstly, there is a tremendous advantage to being the largest satellite operator in the world. The options for creating new service bundles and channel line-ups featuring content from the world’s top programmers are endless. Secondly, our IntelsatOne IP/MPLS terrestrial network complements our global satellite fleet with more than 48,000 kilometers of fiber, and we leverage strategic alliances with BT and PCCW Global to further extend the network. Presently, we deliver regional channels globally out of Japan, China, Hong Kong, India, Korea, the Philippines and Australia. Our alliance with PCCW is the first-ever interconnect between IntelsatOne and a partner network to support both video and network services to new locations across the globe. Intelsat can now extend the reach of IntelsatOne to key locations in multiple Asian cities on PCCW Global’s network, including Jakarta, Seoul, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, as well as major European cities. The fiber agreement also facilitates access to the Stanley Earth Station teleport in Hong Kong, which offers connectivity to most of Intelsat’s primary satellites in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean regions via PCCW Global.